Helem meebill



H. MERRILL. DUPLEX BALANCED STEAM-ENGINES.

No. 193,772, Patented July 31,1877.

N. PETERS. PNOTO-LITHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C,

HELEM' MERRILL, OF BROOKLYN, E. 1)., NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DUPLEX BALANCED STEAM-ENGINES.

f Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 93,772, dated July31, 1877; application filed July 26, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HELEM MERRILL, of Brooklyn, E. D., in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Duplex Balanced Engines; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The invention has for its object the lessening of the jar and agitatingmotion due to the thrust of engines coupled at right angles, and also tosome of what are generally known as reciprocating engines.

The invention consists in arranging two cylinders side by side with anexhaust-port or exit between them, communicating with certain novelinduction and eduction steam-ports under the valve-seat, whereby thesteam is introduced to the opposite ends of each cylinder simultaneouslythrough the same port, so that while one piston is traveling in onedirection the other is traveling in an opposite direction to the end oftheir stroke, said oy1 inders also exhausting at the same time, andthrough a single exhaust-port common to both cylinders. Thus, whileonepiston is pushing the other is pulling, thereby balancing the thrust orjar consequent to one-cylinder engines, or those coupled at rightangles, by which the object is only to overcome the dead-centers. Itwill be further observed that the two cylinders act only as one engine.When used as stationary engines and one pair of cylinders workingtogether with the usual common D slide-valve, a fiy-wheel will berequired, as with the usual single-cylinder engine; but when used forlocomotives, streetcars, or traction-engines, &c., then a pair ofengines are used, viz., a pair of cylinders on each side with thecranksat right angles.

The invention further consists in an abutment by means of which theouter ends of the guides, both above and below, are rigidly secured inposition, and also in the arrangement of a brace or stay, which isprovided at its outer end with a journal-bearing for the shaft of thecompound cranks, which'serve to more securely stead y the parts from thethrusting action of the engines, all of which will be more fullyhereinafter described.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation, showingthe guides at attached tothe cylinders, as usual, and to an abutment, I), located at the end ofsaid guides. This abutment extends up to a point over which a strap, 0,is fitted, through which a movable slide, '01, operates. This slide (1has attached to it a rigid arm, e, depending down to connect with theeccentric rod f, to operate the valve 9, h representing the eccentric.On a double engine this arrangement is duplicated, or the usualreversing-link with gear may be attached.

A represents the working-cylinders B, the steam-chest; O, thepiston-rod; D, the valvestem; E, the connecting-rods, and F thepillow-block. V

The same letters represent the same parts in all the figures.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view, showing the location of the steam-ports,in which 2' shows one port passing to the front of one cylinder and overthe bridge to the back of the other. The largest portion of this port atthe bridge is taken out of the bottom of -the valve-seat k. (Shown in aninverted View at Fig. 6.) l

showsthe other port, crossing the first one through the bridge j to theback of one cylinder. This passage also leads to the front end of theother cylinder.

The valve-seat is provided With ports 1, 2, and 3, similar to those of acommon single engine. An ordinary D-valve is used. When steam isadmitted to the port 1 it passes into the passage 2-the port 4 in onecylinder and the port 5 in the other. The exhaust from the opposite endsof these cylinders takes place through the ports 6 7, passage 2, port 2under the valve, and port 3, to the atmosphere. When the valve isreversed the live steam and the exhaust interchange ports and passages.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section at the line or as, Fig. 3, showing the metalpartition m, located horizontally between the live-steam and exhaustports.

It may be remarked that the exhaust-space nearly encircles the lowerhalf of the cylinders, by which the radiation of' heat is prevented andthe exhaust steam utilized. The conduit from this space may be continuedto the open air or to a condenser, as may be desired.

Fig. 5 represents an elevation of my abutment b, the office of which hasbeen heretofore set forth; and Fig. 6' an inverted view of thebottom ofthe valve-seat, the top of which is the same as the ordinarythree-ported valveseat, with the ordinary D-valve.

In Fig. 2, S shows an arm attached to the end of the valvestem, to theslide (1, which performs the function of'the. horizontal portion of therock-shaft. The slide 01 is provided with an arm which connects with theeccentric rod.

The abutment b, (shown in front elevation in Fig. 5,side elevation inFig. 1, and in plan in Fig. 2,) plays a very important part in the rigidformation of the machine. It forms the rest for the guides by which thecross-heads are made to run smoothly and firmly. It also forms theabutment of the brace u, thus in turn bracing and combining in one solidpiece,

as it were, the cylinders, abutment, crank-v shaft, and pillow-blocks,securing in a great measure the absence of the jar and shaking motiongenerally due to the action of doubleacting engines.

The cranks of this engine, as will be readily seen, are not at rightangles,-a's in general use. While I do not claim this feature to be newin itself, I do claim advantages for it in my construction.

I am aware that many modifications may be made embodying myinventiornall of which I desire to secure without departing from thespirit thereof.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A combination, in an engine provided with two cylinders a singlevalve common to both, the bridge j, with the port t under thevalve-seat, said port connecting the front ends of one cylinder andthe'pistons with the back end of the other cylinder, which work inopposite directions, in the manner and for the purpose substantiallyset. forth.

2. The combination, in a steam-engine, of the two cylinders working asone, the horizontal metal partition, and the bridge, having an under andan over conduit, with thetwo side passages'i and Z, formed by thelongitudinal partition, as set forth anddescribed.

3. The combination, in a two-cylinder engine, of the abutment b, theguides at, and brace 'Lb, with-the crank-shaftand the cylinder-heads ofthe en gin'e, whereby rigidity and firmness are given to the workingparts, for the purpose set forth and described.

Intestimony that I claim the foregoing I affix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

GEo. F. GRAHAM, JOHN F. 0. PREINKERT.

